Shared-Use Community Kitchen in Saco
Starting your own food business? Don’t know where to begin?
Community kitchens are now available in Alfred and Saco. These are fully-licensed commercial kitchens, equipped for your cooking or preparation needs. We provide the necessary and required training to create your home recipe
into a product you can sell. We will help you with recipe development and business planning.
or
Partnered with University of Maine Food Science Department, Small Business
Administration, and Women, Work, and Community
What Is A Shared-Use
Community Kitchen?
A shared use kitchen provides food entrepreneurs, farmers, fishermen, growers, cooks, and bakers an opportunity to use modern commercial kitchen equipment that meets all the requirements for state and federal regulations for a licensed kitchen facility. Community kitchens are already available for use at the Notre Dame Bakery in Alfred and at the Shaker Hill Kitchens on 17 Thornton Avenue in Saco.
With its rural heritage and its focus on self-sufficiency and pride in healthy, locally produced home-made products, Maine is a prime location to encourage entrepreneurs to expand their kitchen creations, or market their produce. Because many low and moderate income producers can not handle the cost of expensive equipment that would be mandated for state licensing of food products, the idea of sharing equipment and a licensed kitchen facility just makes sense. The York County Shelter Programs, Inc. has already had over a dozen individuals contact them about using the proposed incubator kitchen when it opens.
The York County Shelter Programs is extremely grateful to all the individuals and agencies that have lent their support to the Community Kitchen concept. Rosemary Baldacci has worked with York County Community Action and York County Shelter Programs promoting this project and looking for funding resources. On February 5, 2007, Saco area businesses and legislators were invited to an Informational Meeting at the Shaker Hill Bakery and Cafe. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place as members of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce and representatives from the York County Shelter Programs posed for a group photo. At the get-together several individuals spoke including Mayor Johnston, local attorney and York County Shelter Programs’ Board member, Ron Caron, Rosemary Baldacci, David Beseda, Don Gean, and Mark Hews. Other key individuals involved in the project have included Tom Nelson and Barbara Crider from the York County Community Action and Connie and Alan Young from the University of Maine at Orono and Maine’s Shared Use Kitchen Coalition.
Shared-use Community Kitchen in Saco
Jennifer Sporzynski from Coastal Enterprises Inc. brought some individuals to the Shared-Use Kitchen who were interested in learning more about the operation on January 10, 2008. Standing from left: Harun Sheekhey and Safio Mohamed. Seated from left: Jennifer Sporzynski and York County Shelter Programs’ Food Services Director Martha Huestis.
Donna Sano (seated in front) is the first individual entrepreneur to use the Shared-Use Community Kitchen in Saco. Back from left: Don Gean, Rosemary Baldacci, Janet Goba, and Martha Huestis.
With its rural heritage and its focus on self-sufficiency and pride in healthy, locally produced home-made products, Maine is a prime location to encourage entrepreneurs to expand their kitchen creations, or market their produce. Because many low and moderate income producers can not handle the cost of expensive equipment that would be mandated for state licensing of food products, the idea for sharing equipment and a licensed kitchen facility just makes sense.
A shared-use kitchen provides food entrepreneurs, farmers, fishermen, growers, cooks, and bakers an opportunity to use modern commercial kitchen equipment that meets all the requirements for state and federal regulations for a licensed kitchen facility. People interested in learning more about the community kitchen, should contact Martha Huestis at 207-324-8811.
A community kitchen is already available for use at the Notre Dame Bakery in Alfred. The shared-use kitchen at Shaker Hill Kitchens at 17 Thornton Avenue in Saco opened in January of 2008. It is the first licensed community kitchen in the state of Maine. Many individuals have expressed an interest in learning more about the shared-use kitchen in Saco. Harmon’s Clam Cakes has already begun using the kitchen on several days each month.
Individuals seem to appreciate the fact that this newly renovated licensed kitchen in Saco will be available to use twenty-four hours a day. There have been inquiries about the possibility of making such items as pickle products, vegan whoopie pies, and granola.
The York County Shelter Programs has worked with several other agencies and groups (Community Action, University of Maine at Orono Food Science Department, Maine Department of Agriculture, Maine Shared-Use Kitchen Coalition, and Women, Work, and Community) so that entrepreneurs can develop a free business plan and take advantage of all the knowledge and support systems that are available to learn about such aspects as proper food preparation, marketing, storage, labeling, recipes, insurance, regulations, etc. Some of the individuals who have worked very hard to see this kitchen materialize in Saco include Rosemary Baldacci, David Beseda, Don Gean, and Martha Huestis.
Donna Sano Appreciates Shared-Use Kitchen
For Her Crumb Topping
It was Christmas of 2006, when Donna Sano’s friend asked her to cater a Christmas
party for her and her husband. One of the entrees that Donna served was fresh haddock
with her special crumb topping. It soon became clear that it was the hit of the party and many
of the guests wanted to know where they could get this topping. It gave Donna the idea that
she should consider marketing it. She was thrilled to soon learn that the York County Shelter
Programs was planning a shared use licensed kitchen in Saco where she would be able to
make her Tidal Top Off crumb topping.
Donna Sano has had a long and successful background with the preparation of food.
For five years she owned and operated a catering business in Boston. When she moved
to Maine she was the owner and manager of Cafe Catania for eleven years. She has
dedicated the time to continue working with a project that shares her culinary skills and
love of fine dining with others.
When Donna read an article about the state coalition in Maine for shared use kitchens and how the York County Shelter Programs was opening one in Saco, she thought it created a wonderful opportunity for entrepreneurs like herself to pursue their ideas. She wanted to process and market her Tidal Top Off crumb topping for seafood. The shared-use kitchen program offered information, guidance and resources. Donna explained that Rosemary Baldacci was instrumental in putting her in touch with the necessary people to start the process.
Donna is also grateful to Melissa Majkut with Women Work and Community. She feels that she has been an incredible resource. She provided great information on insurance, a graphic designer, web site solutions, pricing and business plans. Donna also worked with John Entwistle at the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) on overall business strategy. She took Starting A Business, Creating A Business Plan and Sales and Marketing classes with SCORE (Counselors to America’s Small Business) which provided a wealth of information. She was particularly grateful to Alan Shaver of SCORE for all of his invaluable advice. Dr. Beth Calder at the University of Maine met with Donna to discuss ingredients, product development and testing. Donna has also toured the pilot plant at the University of Maine at Orono.
Donna expressed her appreciation to Martha Huestis, the Food Services Director at York County Shelter Programs, for being so helpful in all aspects of the production end of things. She stated, “Anything you need that involves the kitchen, equipment, wholesalers, and deliveries, Martha is always right there to accommodate you. She has also helped with marketing outlets.”
Through continued recipe and business development, Donna commented that “Tidal Top Off has made its way from my kitchen to yours.” According to Donna, “ Tidal Top Off is a perfect blend of crackers, home-made Maine butter, cheese, herbs, spices, and ‘Maine Sea Salt’ that is made in small batches so that the melt-in-your-mouth taste is in every bite. This savory gourmet topping adds richness and texture to your seafood with very little effort and is perfect for entertaining, special occasions or a delicious family dinner.”
When discussing her product, Donna explained that Tidal Top Off allows you the luxury of preparing a sumptuous seafood dinner that’s quick, easy, and “ready in minutes.” She also explained that it is so easy, that you don’t have to know how to cook seafood it use it. The only other ingredient you need is the butter or margarine of your choice. White wine and lemon can be used for a lighter version. The recipe is right on the package and there are enough crumbs for three pounds of fish.
Donna was asked by Harbor Fish Market in Portland, Maine, on February 8, 2008, to do a taste testing with her original product, Tidal Top Off. Her crumb topping for the taste testing complemented shrimp and haddock samples at their store. It is very exciting that the brand new shared-use kitchen at Shaker Hill Kitchens has enabled Donna Sano to prepare and market a licensed product so quickly. Her crumb topping, Tidal Top Off, will be available for sale at Harbor Fish Market in Portland and at the Shaker Hill Kitchens in Saco.
Interested individuals can find several wonderful recipes (including baked shellfish, shrimp, scallops, and baked stuffed lobster, baked fish, bacon macaroni and cheese, and baked broccoli and cheese) on the Tidal Top Off web site: www.tidaltopoff.com